Heard on the Hill: Crossing Enemy Lines

On Thursday evening, Sen. Amy Klobuchar was tasked with a job that appeared to be less than thrilling for the Minnesota Democrat.

Klobuchar was in charge of wrapping up floor business, which happened to include a resolution congratulating the Green Bay Packers on their recent Super Bowl victory. Normally a resolution of this sort wouldn’t be a big deal, but the Packers have long been foes of the Minnesota Vikings.

“I was simply asked to read all the resolutions for the close of the day, and it happened to be one of them,” Klobuchar explains. “While it wasn’t my resolution, I congratulate the Packers on their victory and know that next year it will be the Vikings.”

To top it off, Minnesota Sen. Al Franken (D) was serving as presiding officer at the time. The pair went back and forth briefly asking for objections to the resolution, before Franken eventually put his head in his hand and sighed, “No objection.”

In the House, Rep. Jason Altmire is mourning his team’s Super Bowl loss in a different way. The Pennsylvania Democrat bet Rep. Ron Kind (D-Wis.) that the Pittsburgh Steelers would beat the Packers in the big game.

Altmire acknowledged the Packers’ victory in a Friday floor speech: “I rise today to fulfill my side of a friendly wager with my good friends in the Wisconsin delegation to commemorate the Green Bay Packers on winning Super Bowl XLV. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers was flawless.”

Today, Altmire is scheduled to deliver sandwiches from Pittsburgh-based deli Primanti Bros. and a case of Iron City beer to Kind in the Longworth House Office Building.